Automatic grain-weigher.



W. P. HLFIKER.

AUTOMAHG GRAIN WBIGHER.

APPLICATION FILED FBBJQ, 1912.

1,037,249. Patented sept. 1912.

4 SHEETS-BHBET 3.

a@ Mw( E. HILFIKER. AUTOMATIC GRAIN WEIGHER.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. I9, 1912.

Patented sept. 3,

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4;. l

.mmmunnmmlm I I l L m 2,8

WI IIIIIII um 'WILLIAM F. HILFIKER, 0F :TAY COUNTY, INDIANA.

'UTOMATIC GBAIN-WEIGHER.

Specication of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 3,1912.

Application led February 19, 1912. Serial No. 678,627.

To all wilt-0m t may concern.'

Be it known thatl, WILLIAM F; HIL- riitne, a citizen ot the United States, residing in .lay county, in the State of Indiana, have invented a new and useful Automatic Grain-Vileigher, of which the following is a full, clear, and accurate specification and exposition, being such as will enable others te make and use the same with absolute exactitude.

obj-ect of my present inventiomf broadly speaking, is to provide an automatic grain weigher which will be strong and durable in construction, positive in action, automatic in operation, and adapted to facilitate the sacking and the delivery ot grain, the same being accomplished with `certainty and precision.

lAnother object is to provide an automatic grain weigher which can be manufactured, installed, and sold at a comparatively low price, and at the same time being so constructed as to accomplish the work required thereof with certainty andA precision and in a minimum of time.

@ther specific ,objects and particular ad-v vantages et myl invention will be brought out and made apparent in the course of the following specification and that which is new will be correlated in the appended claims.

@ne manner tor the accomplishment of the objects of my invention in a practical manner is shown in the accompanying four sheets oi. drawings, in which,-

Figure 1 is a front elevation bf my weigher complete. Fig. 42 is a central vertical sectional view of my weigher complete, same being taken on line 2-2 of Fig. li. 3 is av rear elevation ofvmy weigher complete, same being taken from the side opposite to that ot Fig. 1. Fig. i is atop plan ci the weigher, all of the parte therebeing shown in position. Fig. 5 is a top plan of the device after certain parts have been removed. Fig. 6 is a detail 'isometrical view of the scale bar and the weight. And Fig. 7 is a detail perspective view of the manually operable distributer.

Similar indices denote like parts throughout the several views of the four sheets of /y drawings.

in order that my invention may be more clear understood and its advantages be properly appreciated, I will now take up a detailed description thereof, in which will set forth the invention as clearly and as comprehensively as I may.

The bodyv or main frame of my device consists of the four corner members: mem- 6.3 bers 1 and 2 being in the front, and members 3 and 4 being in the rear. Each of said members is substantially identical with the others, each being formed flat and having a slot extending from its upper end to approximately its center vertically. Connecting the members 1 and 2 are the respective upper and lower ties 5 and u6, and in like manner connecting members 3 and l are the ties 7 and 8. Also, connect-ing mem- 70 bers 1 and 3 is the tie 9, and/inlike manner connecting members 2 and A is the tie 10. Said ties 9 and 10 are of considerable width, as they not only serve as ties but they serve a more important purpose, as will hereinafter appear.

Numeral 11, and numeral 12, each denote a container or bucket, same being rectangular in cross section, and somewhat less in length than are the four corner members above referred' to.v Bucket 11 is of same width as are the members l and 3, between which it' operates, filling the space therebetween; and in like manner the bucket 12 is of same width as are the members 2 and 4, 35 between which it operates, filling the space therebetween. Said buckets are exact complements of each other in size and weight, except that they are oppositel. disposed with relation to each other. T ebottoms a and b of the respective buckets 11 and 12 are disposed at angles as shown, sloping centerward as shown in Fig. 2. The inner wall of each of the buckets does not extend quite to the bottom of buckets, therebyproviding outlets or mouths c and al in the vertex of eachbucket, which are adapted to be closed by the respective ties 9 and 10 when the buckets are raised. The upper ends of n the buckets are open, they being formed on the same angles as arethe respective bottoms thereof. Q

Secured on the front and the'rear edges of bucket 11 are the respective guide-blocks 13 and 14 which lit and are adapted to slidey 105 up and down in the slots of said members 1y and 3; and in like manner secured on the front and the rear edges of bucket 12 are the respective guide blocks 15 and 16, which t and are adapted to slide up and down m .11e the slots of said members and 4. Said guide-blocks are of such lengli as to retain the buckets in u. 'vertical position ull times, and their positions ere to `ferm stops, preventing the buckets :trom droppingl below a certain point. rlhe highest limit to which the buckets ll and l2 are adapted to move is with their upper ends lo cated even with the up er ends of the corner members 1, 2, 3, an 4l. 'Therefore it is apparent that the exits or mouths c und u? are et all times closed by the ties 9 und 1'()` except when the buckets are et, or neer, their lowest limits, ut which letter time the said exitswill be open, es they will then be below the ties 9 und 10.

Ilhe two buckets ere adapted to counterk balance euch other by the following meuns Numeral 17 denotes a shaft which extends across between the ties and 7, on which it rests. There is u notch formed-in the center of the upper edges ot the tiesI 5 and 7 end et the'points or' contact therewith the sheitt 17 has V-sheped bearings which rest in seid notches. Secured on the center ot' said shaft 17 is the sprocket-wheel 18. Numeral 19 denotes a sprocket chain, which operates over wheel 18,y and the termini oif seid' chein are secured to Athe centers et the inner feces oi" said buckets l1 'und .l2 shown. lirom the above it is manifest' thet the buckets counteroelence each other, und' that the rotating of the shaft 17 will cause one bucket to descend as the other moves up.

Resting on the upper edge of the tie 5, extending upward end tier-ing spart, with their upper portions secured. to inner por tions of the corner members l vund 2 which ere beveled oli that they may rest thereon, are the weight guides 20 and 2l, against which the weight impinges, es will hereinafter be set forth. Secured on the forward end portion of shaft 1"? is thebloclr 22, which is secured on the squared portion Act seid shett. Extending upward from the block 22 is the scale-bar 23, which has graduated merits thereon which, in this instance, ere numbered :from l0Y to 5G, the smaller number being; near the bloclr 22. Slidubly mounted on the said soule-ber is the weight 2-, which is adapted to be secured at any point Valong the scale-bur by ineens of the winged-nut 25. Secured in the lett and the right-hand faces of the weight 24 ere cushions c end f, respectively, which ere adapted to contact with the respective guideis 20 and 21. From the above it will be meniifest that the further the weight 24.- is Jrom the block 22 the more force will be required to throw weight 24 from one to the other of the guides 2O und 2l.

The hopper comprises the front 26 and the rear 27. Connecting said front and rear, in their upper portions, are the two enguv larly disposed plates 28 end 29 which extend downward convcrgently, their lower edges being spaced 'slight-ly epirt forming the p Extending across und pivoted between tue trent end the rear of the hopper is the cut-oli 30, seme being` carried one the shu'lfi- 3l, which projects through theutront l-llso mounted between the front and lthe beck of the hopper are the angulerly disposed members 32 und 33, which extend laringly apart from the lower edges of the members 28 eend 29, respectively, and et right-angles thereto. Located below and substnntielly parallel with members 32 and 33 ere the dividing boards 34 and 35. From the above it will be seen that ll have formed two chutes leading `from the mouth 7L, one of which leeds into the open top oi bucket of the bucket 12all es shown in Fig. '2, from which it will be seenthat it' the cut-- cil beturned in one direction that gram rected inte one et the buckets, while' it the cutbtl be turned in the other direction the grain which ineybe in the hopper will be directed into the other bucket.

yllhe rear efthe hoppermechunism is connected tothe' tops of the rear posts, 3 and Il, by means of the tie 36, which latter is bolted to there'ar face of the member 27, with its endslextending out, and after being given e quarter turn, are secured on top of seid posts 3 und d, es shown. Secured across the Afront of the hopper member 26 is the tie' 37 whose end portions are turned for and they ere then secured to the tops or the shane of the tie 37 the hopper is allowed to be located somewhat to the rear of the posts 'l und 2, es shown, in order to allow'for ether parts which will hereinafter be referred to. Secured on shaft i7 is the wrist which has e finger 39 formed integral therewith, the letter having an eye formed i/crticalllv therethrough.

Secured on shaft 31 is the wrist 40 which has a finger il formed integral therewith, with en eye 'termed `vertically therethrough. The Finger lll is located directly above finger 39, es' shown. The fingers 39 and il are arranged to be located approximately parellel with each vother all times by mee-ns of the connecting-rod 42, .the termini of which are disposed iti theepertures ot said fingers 39 and l1, where they are adjustbly 'reteinedtby means of the respective nuts 43 und elfi-i J The distributer is 'to be lobelow sind between the twobucli und l2, und it consist-s of e bottom 4.5m is to be'disposed at en angle sloping trom the rear downwerd'and forward.

across between the lower ends of the rein" posts and 4t is a rod 46 over which muy engage the hooks m und ln 'which are secured inY the rear edge ot the bot-tom Numerels if? and 48 denote the sides of 11, und the ether leads into the open top which muy lbe in the hopper will be di-.

wurd to where they are given a quarter turny posts l und 2 es shown. By reason'orl the Extend- Vthe distributer, in front of which are lovider 5l, bvmeans of which the divider may,

be operated manually.

v Numerals 53 and 54 denote two rods which are pivoted at their lower ends to the sides of the distributer and by which the forward portion. of the distributer may be 'suspended from the weigher. l5

In practice the operation is very simple, for instance: A continuous stream of grain may be deposited in the mouth `of the hopper. If the cut-olf be turned to" the right, as in Fig. 2, then the grain passing from the hopper through the mouth 7L will pass over the member 34 and will fall into the bucket 11, which at this time is raised. Now if the weight 24 be moved out on the bar 23, to notch for instance, then when fifty pounds of grain has`fa'llen into bucket 1l it will overbalance the weight 24, turning shaft 17, and causing the'weight 24 to swing over to the left, as in Fig. 3, against the `guide 20. When the weight 24 reaches its last named position` then the bucket 1l will have moved down to theposition in which 4it is indicated in Fig. 3. When the bucket 11 reaches its last mentioned position then its mouth c will be opened', vas it will have passed Abeyond thel tie 9, thereby allowing the grain to discharge from bucket 11, through the mouth c.

' onto vthe bot-tom 45, from which' it will ,move by gravity to one of the chutes 49 or 50. Asbucket 11 moves down it is manifest that it-s consort, bucket'l2, will` move up, reaching its highest limit coincident with the bucket 11 reachingits lowest limit of movement.' 'The movements of the buckets, as stated, will of course turn .to shaft 17 which evidently will move the roi 42 downward thereby turning shaft 31 which Vwillcausethe cut-off to turn to the opposite position, that is closing the'way to the bucket ll and at the same timeopening the way to bucket 12, thereby causing the latter toliillwhile the former is emptying. It will be observed that these movements are entirely automatic within themselves, the operations being accomplished without the application of,outside power, the Weight ofthe grain. being weighed or measured providing the requisite power for the various operations as set' forth. By means of the handle 52 the attendant may move the divider tothe right or to the left as desired, in order to cause the grain to pass through chute 49 or 50.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each,- by Washington, 11,0.

I would have it understood that 'various changes maybe made in several details of construction, from that hereinshown and described, without departing from the spirit of my invention or sacrificing any of the advantages thereof. i Having now fully shown vand described -V my invention, and the best means for its Aconstructiontome known at ,this time, -what I claim, and desire to secure by Let-ters Patent of the United States, is-

l. l An automatic grain weigher comprising a frame, a 'pair Aof buckets mounted to slide up and down in said frame, a sprocket chain connecting the buckets, Aa shaft located central of and above said buckets, a sprocketwheel. mounted on said shaft with said chain disposed thereover, a scale-bar secured to and extending upward from saidshaft, a weight adjustably Asecured on said bar, guides for holding the weight in its eX- tremes ofA movement, a hopper, a cut-ofi" fordistributing the grain from the hopper to irst one and then the other of said buckets, means for automatically operatingV said cut-oft' by the operation of said shaft, and means forretaining the grain in the buckets until-the buckets have been lowered.

2. An automatic' grain weigher comprising in combination a pair of counterbalanced buckegs adapted to be moved up and down alternately, a rotatable shaft supporting. both of said buckets, a. sprocket vwheel secured on said shaft, a sprocket chain operative over said wheel with itsends secured each to one of said buckets, a frame work supporting all of said parts, guides controlling the vertical movement-s of said buckets, a hopper disposed above the buckets and having chutes leading therefrom to 'each of said buckets'a cut-off adapted to vdefiect the grain from the -hopper into .one

of said4 buckets, automatic means for operating said cutoif,means whereby the outlet Afromfe'ach `of the buckets is closed at all times except when y' the buckets are near their lowest positions, a block 17 secured on V.the forward end portion of said shaft, a `scale-bar 23 extending upwardly 'from said block, a weight 24 slidably mounted on said scale-bar, means for securing said weight at various points along said scale-bar, cushions carried by the sides of said weight, and upwardly Haring guides against which said cushi'ons. are adapted to contact, ,all substantiallly as shown and described.

In testimony whereof l have hereunto subscribed my name to this specification in ypresence of two subscribing witnesses.

WILLIAM F. Witnesses:

"ROBERT W. RAN'DLE,

HQE. RANDLE.

'addressing'the Commissioner of latenti.,

HILFIKER. p 

